i follow alphys' performance with metty during hotland.
got my own phone this time.
it is one of the older ones with 5" display, nothing fancy.
bought it before paps' "date" with the human.
currently am watching the mettaton show™ starring mettaton.
and i can see the first obvious difference to the other multiverse.
alphys blossoms in her role, always arriving at the scene of the show in the nick of time.
she hams it up, goes overboard with boasts and grins maniacally.
in this universe the roles are different.
we don't have the killer robot and hero scientist.
it might look like that for the human, but the broadcast tells another story.
we have the heroic robot, defender of monsters.
and on the other hand we have the mad scientist who guides the human through hotland.
after alphys' first public appearance, something that she'd never do in the old universe i shortcut around and check on something.
apparently alphys never told the families that everyone was alive.
all she did was write letters to the families, stating that there was some kind of incident in the lab.
she apologised about not being able to return the dust at the time and that she is working on it.
after i hear that, i check downstairs.
the amalgamates are shambling around.
it seems alphys is trying to stabilise the amalgamates so that they might be separated again.
at least according to her logs.
i know it's very rude, even have a minor headache.
but that doesn't stop me.
i snoop more around.
the logs don't bother much with mettaton's fame.
instead talking about undyne and her girl problems.
and some thoughts on this sans too.
but then came the big whopper.
* ENTRY NUMBER 15
* Seems like the research was a dead end.
* But I might have discovered monster immortality here.
* I sent the vessel and SOULS back to ASGORE.
* I'll spend some time studying them before I send them back up.
* They are okay with that, after all I saved their lives.
* This might be huge.
* ENTRY NUMBER 16
* no no nO NO NO NO NO!
* ENTRY NUMBER 17
* the human body is mostly water.
* ours is mostly magic.
* determination makes magic volatile.
* a lot of it in a monster breaks down the body.
* they all melted together.
* if i can stabilise it, i might be able to separate their souls.
* ENTRY NUMBER 18
* the flower is gone.
* ENTRY NUMBER 19
* sans asked what is wrong.
* i can't tell him what has happened.
* this is my burden.
* he's already taking care of papyrus.
* ENTRY NUMBER 20
* sans probably knows something is wrong.
* but he doesn't intrude.
* he just comforts me.
* i can't imagine what i'd do without him.
* ENTRY NUMBER 21
* i spent most of my time down here.
* if i can fix it i might be able to open up to my love again.
as i walk through the lab i see another terminal.
my head still hurts but it has gotten weaker.
a new one, something part of this universe.
* ENTRY NUMBER 22
* whenever we work together i feel like i am standing on the shoulders of a giant.
* he helps me to reach unimaginable heights by merely standing at my side.
* he is great and all that i need in my life.
* i feel like i am an imposter who stepped into a place that was meant for someone else.
* i feel like all i do is take.
* if only i could do this, i could finally be worthy of him.
the headache stops.
poor alphys.
i've got to find a way to improve her self esteem.
if i do that, she might abandon all this and release the amalgamates.
but right now i have no idea how.
and until i find a way, i've got something else i could try.

i sit on the couch together with undyne and papyrus, watching the grand finale of the mettaton show™ starring mettaton.
undyne befriended the human shortly after their trip to hotland and our enlightening conversation.
the human and metty are currently facing off in the big elevator.
they set the whole thing up with smoke machines and fireworks.
must have taken some time to prepare that.
alphys is currently offscreen, waiting for a cue i assume.
she rocked the whole show, playing the bad guy who always draws the inevitable confrontation between the human and metty out.
mettaton was always trying to stop the human by reactivating the puzzles, even asking the viewers for help.
alphys always furthering the evil agenda of the human, deactivating the puzzles.
and she looks damn good in that black lab coat.
my favourite mettaton moment™ was when alphys' computer crashed during the tile puzzle and she just used her lightning magic to short circuit the flamethrowers.
metty's shocked face was just electrifying.
currently i'm sprawled over the couch in a way that forces the two of them to sit really close together.
nobody is complaining.
usually you can't get them to be silent for more than three seconds.
right now, they hadn't said a word in about ten minutes.
* (knock knock knock knock)
they startle a bit when the door knocks.
that should be my partner in crime.
* i'll go.
i stand up, leaving a lot of space on the couch.
the two aren't moving an inch.
i leisurely walk to the door.
asriel is standing on the other side.
* is for me, i'll be out, kay?
i hear only some mumbled acknowledgement.
giving them some private time i pull the door shut behind me.
the whole street is empty.
everyone is inside watching the the mettaton show™ starring mettaton.
i love that name.
we walk around the house and take the regular route into my lab.
* sup.
* You know perfectly well what's up. It's crunch time. So what's the plan?
* you think i got a plan?
* I hope so, cause I have no clue.
* i got some strings we could pull.
* well, one string we can pull and another i have no idea what to do with.
* but if this doesn't work, we try, try again.
* Yeah, we have ideas, and sometimes they even work.
* So, lay it on me.

the mettaton show™ starring mettaton ended with the human sparing mettaton.
they didn't walk towards judgement hall.
i sat there and waited for some time, working on a new spell.
if there there are two multi-
* (ring-ring ring-ring ring-click)
* you got sans.
* You got 10 seconds, I got popcorn.
i shortcut to the living room, outside papyrus and undyne are standing around.
asriel is kneeling on the couch facing outside.
he doesn't even look at me, transfixed with what we initiated.
* You got here just in time.
no matter how old he is, he still retains his childlike curiosity.
i never said it is a bad thing to be curious.
i kneel on the couch too, getting some ketchup chips from my private stash.
this gonna be good.
* chaps?
* Nah, have popcorn. Now, shh.
HUMAN, WOULD YOU ALLOW ME TO CAPTURE YOU?
the human nods.
THANKS YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP.
Err... what are you doing there Papyrus?
papyrus is kneeling down and picks the human up.
I AM CAPTURING A HUMAN, YOU SAID THAT I CAN JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD IF I MANAGE THAT. AND WITH THE HELP OF MY FRIEND HERE I JUST CONSENSUALLY CAPTURED A HUMAN.
he holds them out towards undyne.
she is clearly lost.
* Well yeah-
AND THAT SHOULD MEAN THAT I AM NOW PART OF THE ROYAL GUARD, OR DID I UNDERSTAND SOMETHING WRONG?
* No, well-
IN THAT CASE, NOW AS A ROYAL GUARD WHERE ONLY THE TOUGHEST MAY JOIN, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO OUT WITH ME?

I JUST THOUGHT NOW THAT I AM A TOUGH GUY YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED... I CAN UNDERSTAND IF I AM STILL NOT TOUGH ENOUGH, I WILL TRAIN EVEN HARDER SO I AM THE TOUGHEST GUY IN THE UNDER-
* NGGGAAAAHHH!
wow, that was one hardcore throw.
i have the perfect idea for next time.
* (wham)
OWIE!
* I WOULD LOVE TO GO ON A DATE WITH YOU THIS SATURDAY!
* That is... if you have time...
oh my god, so cute.
YAY! I HAVE TO TELL HAPPY RIGHT NOW.

HMM... NOBODY IS PICKING UP. HUMAN, WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AND GO TELL HIM, I WILL BE BUSY HOLDING THE HAND OF MY NEW GIRLFRIEND.
* Yeah...
WOWIE, THEN SANS WAS RIGHT, ALL I NEEDED WAS TO JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD.
* Wait... was that the reason you wanted to join the royal guard in the first place?
IS THERE AN ANSWER THAT WON'T RESULT IN A SUPLEX?
* (wham)
* Nope.
i can hear the human leave.
asriel and i high five.
this was awesome.
and just like i expected.
asriel called papyrus a bit earlier and gave him the idea of "capturing" the human that way.
of course he would remember the conversation we had earlier and ask undyne out.
and undyne would of course be flustered and accept.
i'd like to tell that i had no idea what would happen, but they are still the same people in the core.
even if the surface is slightly different, i was dead on with the basics.
huh...
yeah, i was...
i sit down on the couch.
i really should have seen that with alphys coming.
deep down she is the same too.
i remember all the timelines where metty dies...
okay enough brooding.
besides, i ran out of chips.
asriel is still giggling and watching out the window.
* az?
* Hm?
* next time, wanna get out there and judge the throw?
* How do you mean that?
* you know, like those contest judges with their signs that have numbers on them.
* Oh, that sounds cool, in my Flowey body I guess?
* yeah, no casual bm body in front of the human.
* Count me in.
* cool, now excuse me while i give the couple my best wishes.
* Do that, I'll call Papyrus later.
* kay.
i stand up and make my way to the door.
i shortcut the chips bag in the trashcan.
no need to raise suspicion.
hmm...
taking the front door would be very suspicious.
yeah, better come out of grillby's.
everyone's alive in there, so i have to pull the door swap.
i concentrate for a second.
i open the front door of my house which leads to the outside of grillby's.
i close the door behind me and dispel the shortcut.
a short walk later i am nearing the house.
the two lovebirds are still standing there, holding hands and grinning dumbstruck.
* heya.
SANS, I GOT A GIRLFRIEND!
* 'grats, you two already snogged?
* Sans...
* you know, behind the shed?
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
if looks could kill.
* nothing bro, just happy for you.
THANK YOU BROTHER. BUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?
* whatcha mean?
* Yeah, don't you have a date with Alphys today? Shouldn't you be in the MTT resort restaurant?
that's interesting.
* yeah, but i forgot something here.
OH NO, IS IT THE RING?
* The RING?
the ring?
YES, HE SPENT THE LAST TWO MONTHS WORKING ON IT. IT IS BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED.
* Wow, so you're popping the question today, huh? I wish you success.
THE SAME FROM ME BROTHER BUT YOU SHOULDN'T DAWDLE ANY MORE. ALPHYS SHOULD BE WAITING FOR YOU AT THE LAB.
the ring!
the one in the lab!
it isn't from his father.
it's his engagement ring!
and it might work out.
* yeah, just let me grab the ring.

i've got no idea if this date is casual or formal.
so i grabbed a jacket and threw it over my shirt.
the ring is still lying on the table.
i search through the drawers and find the little box to put it inside.
he must've been pretty sure about this if he didn't bother with boxing it earlier.
i grab the id card just in case and shortcut to in front of alphys' lab.
i give the door a knock.
nobody answers...
after a minute there's still no reaction from inside.
i swipe my id card and step inside.
can't see her in the main room.
better check her private room then.
i shortcut to the conveyor and let it carry me up.
no trace of her here either.
nothing out of the usual aside from-
* Hello Sans, surprised to see you.
* heya metty. yeah, i forgot something and ran a bit late.
* What do you mean? I thought you picked up Alphys a few minutes ago.
huh?
* what exactly happened?
* Well, Alphys was plugging my body into the recharger and was about to reattach my arms and wonderfully gorgeous legs, you did see them, didn't you?
* yeah, have been walking through my mind.
* Oh you charmer. Anyway there was a knock at the door and then she jumped up and began running around. Apparently she forgot date night in the hubbub of the human falling down. So she took her dress out of the closet, rushed towards the door and left with whoever was out there, which I assumed was you.
* must've been the human.
metty looks at me quizzically.
* after you didn't pick up your phone, papyrus sent them to tell you he has a girlfriend now.
* Ah, he and Undyne FINALLY hooked up?
* yeah, gotta jet now though, i bet she is in the restaurant.
* Yes darling, we'll chat later.
i walk back down and take the conveyor as metty calls the lovebirds.
* Hello Papy, Yeah, sorry, my internal telephone ran out of juice when I did. Anyway, I heard the news from Sans. Congratulations you two! You know, many of us thought you were already...
once outside his field of vision i shortcut to the restaurant.
i step through it into the restaurant.
the human and alphys are sitting at my favourite table.
alphys' back is turned to me and is currently rambling.
* -RY YOU, ALPHYS. YOU ARE A TALENTLESS HACK NOT WORTHY OF MY GREATNESS AND INTELLIGENCE AND HANDSOMENESS AND WHO I ONLY KEEP AROUND BECAUSE I PITY YOU AND NOT BECAUSE OF ANY ACTUAL QUALITY YOU POSSESS.
she really needs to work on those issues.
* do i really sound like that big a dingus.
* S-sans! Oh my god Sans. I didn't mean to- I thought you- I'm so sorry! I always screw up like this!
* alphys.
igo up to her and hold her hand while she rants.
* I can't do anything by myself. I'm a failure as a scientist and you're just so great and nice and the best and all I do is ride on your coattail, always using your skill as a crutch to keep myself up and I'm afraid that one day because of that, you'll just leave me.
she has tears forming in her eyes.
* Which would really break my heart, because I love you.
* alphys, please calm down.
now is make or break time.
but i don't have a script for this.
but the words start pouring out of my mouth.
* you're the candle in the darkness that keeps me safe. you're the most precious person to me. the reason i stand up in the morning and why i strife to make this hellhole of a cave a better place. you have nothing to fear, because you have a beautiful mind bar none, a thing of unparalleled intelligence and talent. you're everything i'd wish for and so much more. and i want to be with you until the end of time. so i have to ask you something
i go down on a knee and pull the ring out.
* alphys, will you marry me?

* (sob)
* alphys?
* Y-yes, o-of c-course, y-you n-numbskull.
i put the ring on her finger.
now to lighten the atmosphere.
* oh, good, because that would have been really embarrassing if you said no.
* Sh-shut up.
* no seriously, i'd be embarrassed down to the bone.
* You're terrible.
* and you're stuck with me forever.
* I take that as a promise.
* kiddo, what's that over there?
the human turns around and i kiss alphys.
we'd get an earful from toriel if we kissed while they were watching.
we break the kiss before the human turns around again.
after a few seconds realisation strikes her.
* I am so sorry but I have something urgent to do, we can... celebrate when I'm done.
she leaves in a hurry.
* huh, i wonder where she is going?
as on queue the human ran after her.
down to the true lab i hope.

it is before the big finale.
currently am waiting in the shadows.
everything goes as usual at first.
asgore tries to fight the human.
toriel fireballs him in the chest and berates him.
now it would be time for undyne bursting in.
let's see how it goes...
* S-stop! T-there w-won't be fighting on this w-wonderful day!
* L-life is to precious and wonderful and the b-best to waste it!

* Hello, are you the human's friend?
* It is nice to meet you.
* Uh... h-hi?
* (THERE'S TWO OF THEM?)
two-toriels... that would be a good one.
then the newest couple enter running.
HEY NOBODY FIGHT ANYONE! IF ANYONE FIGHTS ANYONE... THEN I'LL BE FORCED TO ASK MY GIRLFRIEND FOR HELP!
* Exactly! If you don't start making friends right now I'll... I'll...
* Oh, are you two friends of the human too? Hello!
OH! HELLO, YOUR MAJESTY! PSST... DID ASGORE SHAVE...? AND... CLONE HIMSELF?
* No, you bonehead that is obviously his ex.
OH GOD, PUNS! NOT YOU TOO!
okay, no idea what my cue is, so, i'm just gonna take that.
* ah if it isn't my favourite power couple, pundyne.
NO! THIS IS THE WORST DAY EVER!
* That voice...! Hello, I think we may... Know each other?
* oh hey... i recognize your voice, too.
* So nice to meet you.
* the name's sans.
* and, uh, same.
* Oh! Wait, then...!
* This must be Alphys... I see a ring on her hand, so you finally asked her, eh?
* yeah, am glad the dog didn't swallow it or it would be-
* A diamond in the ruff.
toriel finished the joke with such panache that i wouldn't be surprised if it was actually arranged.
HE DID? SO EVERYONE GOT THE ONE THEY LOVE AT THEIR SIDE! I CHANGED MY MIND, TODAY IS MIGHTY NEAT! I CAN'T WAIT TILL TOMORROW, MAYBE THERE WILL BE EVEN MORE!
mettaton creeps around the corner of the door, holding his leg inside.
* OH GOD, JUST KISS ALREADY, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN DYING TO DO IT FOR YEARS. PLUS THE AUDIENCE LOOOOVES YOUNG LOVE.
HA-METTATON! THAT IS HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE! RIGHT UNDYNE? ... UH, UNDYNE?
* You know, what, that punk is RIGHT! Come here for a good snogging!
UH... IF YOU SAY SO UNDYNE!
they are getting closer together
* Wait! Not in front
* W-wait!
* Not in front of the human!
* Uhh , right ! S-sorry , I got a little carried away there.
* Hee hee hee.
* My child , it seems as if you must stay here for a while.
* But looking at all the great friends you have made...
* I think...
* I think you will be happy here.
* H-hey , that reminds me.
* Papyrus.. . YOU called everyone here , right?
* Well , besides , uh , her.
* Uh , anyway.. . If I got here before you...
* How did you know how to call everybody?
LET'S JUST SAY...
A TINY FLOWER HELPED ME.
* A tiny.. . flower?
and that is the cue for flowey.
what follows is exactly like every other time i followed my script and stood here.
we get absorbed.
asriel and the human fight as usual.
they tell us their name is frisk.
and then asriel breaks the barrier,.
nothing out of the ordinary here, we did this thousands of time.
when we are finally back frisk has a last look around the underground before we fo to the surface.
i excuse myself and shortcut directly into the core main room.
before the last fight i started a cross-timeline scan routine.
it is only up to 40% but it shows that it is an own cluster.
once i have a way to find the cluster boundaries they need unique identifiers...
well, it was pretty surreal so, how about, alice for this one?
as i shortcut back to the the pre-barrier room i just have to ask myself...
how many other clusters are out there?

Thanks to friends and family for supporting us. And ALICETALE TEAM thanks you, the player, from the bottom of our hearts. Without you, all of this would be impossible. Good night.

Welcome to the end of Alice is Dead.

The next chapter will start a new arc, and as usual, here are your authors commentaries:

In general: Every sequence is written with the thought in mind, that it has to work as a game.
The bit of dialog about Sans being right and the suplex between Undyne and Papyrus is when you talk to them after they get together, for examle.
The Alphys and Human in the diner sequence is the Alphys date of this multiverse and it also is with the choose your own adventure style decisions what you say. This is nearing the end and Sans just walks in on it, like Undyne into Alphys' "date" with the human.
Her rambling is based on the similar scene you chose that Alphys plays Undyne and she starts ranting that Undyne is so awesome and that she, Alphys, is never gonna be together with her.

The smartphone Sans bought for cheap is a (for us) modern one, as it is years after Chara fell in 201X and what is new now will be old by then.
And yes, I know Toriel has a really old one, but I think that one was from 199X (Earthbound reference)
His ringtone is the standard "ring ring" sound, since he doesn't bother changing it for the few hours.

The log entries were made to resemble the original ones as much as possible while still fitting the new world.

The bit where sans manipulates Papyrus into "capturing" the human comes from my opinion that in the true pacifist ending it is Flowey who suggests to Papyrus that Undyne can give the human the letter for Alphys, since that sequence only happens on a post spare Flowey run, not the first time you go pacifist (thanks to Driaz for reminding me to put the commentary in here)

The short nonsense dialog between Asriel and Sans is just me poking fun at Undertale comics and how many of those wouldn't happen in canon-verse.
For the record, I love Undertale Comics, especially the kind I described.

Shortcuts are, as the name implies, cutting the distance between two points shorter. While all being listed under "Shortcuts" there are three essentially different kinds
Sans' normal shortcut is connecting two points for a moment, shifting the space beneath him so that he doesn't need to move. It's what he uses to get Papyrus' phone or other items or how he moves great distances at once.
The kind he usually uses with frisk is more complex, he connects two segments in space by magic, causing it to look like a hole leading to another place in the air.
Then there is the kind he uses to avert suspicion, as seen in the fic, he partially swaps doors out, making the inside half of it "connect" to the outside of another one and vice versa.
How else would nobody be suspicious about Sans? They can rationalise him coming out of impossible doors, but appearing out of thin air is a bit much.

The little speech is something the Sans of this universe had prepared for this moment, so he got it from there.
After hearing it Alphys wanted to release the amalgamates and that made her go to the true lab.

The pre boss fight scene with Asriel, the whole everyone gets captured sequence, was super tedious, but as you can imagine, quite important
I really wanted to keep the fact that Alphys came before Papyrus in there, but I also wanted him and Undyne coming in together, made the scene quite different.
Toriel and Sans also talked in this universe and he also made the promise, but since papyrus was part of the kissing sequence at the end, so I put Alphys in the spotlight for the sans and Toriel conversation.

The very last line is from the end of the Undertale credits. I plan to end every sequence like that, telling the name of the AU in that way. Anybody opposed?